German Shipowners' Association warns of escalating Houthi threats

Arab Sea Newspaper - Follow-ups

Arabian Sea - Yemen - Follow-ups: The German Shipowners' Association has warned that the Houthi group in Yemen has expanded the scope of its threats against shipping companies to include commercial vessels worldwide, after previously focusing only on the Red Sea. The association, in a statement reported by the Marine Forum magazine specializing in maritime affairs, stressed the need to increase the German naval presence to protect trade routes. It explained that a new email was received by it and a number of member shipping companies stating: "All companies must stop dealing with ports belonging to the Israeli enemy, otherwise their ships will be targeted wherever they are found and wherever our missiles and drones reach." The association stated that this threat is an extension of a series of similar messages previously issued by the Houthis, and coincides with a series of repeated attacks targeting ships in the Red Sea, according to "Belqees Net." The Houthis recently targeted the giant Greek tanker "Magic Seas" (flying the Liberian flag) on July 6, 2025, followed by the ship "Eternity C" (Liberia) on July 7, through several waves of attacks. The crews were forced to evacuate the two ships, which later sank, while it is believed that four members of the "Eternity C" crew died, and an unspecified number of people are still being held by the Houthis. The association called for securing maritime trade routes, including providing greater military protection when needed, stressing that "attacks on civilian ships, extortion through individual threatening messages, and deliberately obstructing global supply routes, must not become a new reality." The association concluded its statement by emphasizing that the safety of seafarers and the stability of global trade must remain a top priority, warning that the development of this armed conflict gives it "a new kind of danger," amid the absence of concrete solutions from any party.